by Chris Kiekens

This be t' crate... Ahoy! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! pretty excitin' really. Avast! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! It sat in t' fridge long enough (about 10 minutes after I realized that it was very thin plywood). Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I have been playin' with boosted gliders lately, me bucko, but balsa gliders don't seem to do well with a D engine attached...
I thought t' wood may be a little heavy... but hey, shiver me timbers, me hearties, t' price be right!

T' wings are pretty basic... rounded top and bottom, matey, upper win' slightly forward... Begad! It is way faster with t' upper win' forward! A speaker must be used to clamp t' wings while t' glue dries... Arrr! this is essential t' makin' it loud!

T' tail section is basic too... Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! I had concerns about t' thrust o' a D engine tearin' off t' stabilizers. Arrr! Begad! And visions o' it crashin' through me car's windshield...

I cheated some for t' fuselage and used a piece o' aircraft plywood, me hearties, me hearties, and a 1/4"X1/4" piece o' balsa. Ya scallywag! Blimey! I had concerns about usin' t' short pieces of t' box, glued together, so shoot me, ya bilge rat, I cheated a little...

Same parts... I had another picture, arrr, you can rent this space for advertising if you like... Aye aye! Cheap, really, really cheap!

A view from t' front, arrr, with t' motor tube installed... Ahoy! I used a 1/4" launch lug because it is what was layin' on me desk...

A shot from t' side... Notice how far back t' motor tube is t' compensate for t' weight distribution... Ya scallywag! Also notice that t' nose sticks out further than t' motor... Begad! Well, blow me down! Typically, it seems, me bucko, ya bilge rat, t' motor tube hangs off t' end o' the glider, but i found with t' heavy win' assembly it needed t' be move back somewhat.

Just another filler shot...

Consider this a scale shot..see me hand...

First Flight:
It be slightly windy (10MPH); me choices for t' maiden flight were a D12, me hearties, ya bilge rat, or an E9. I chose a D12, because I wasn't sure what t' flight would bring, matey, and the Estes E motor burns for quite some time. Well, blow me down! Avast! I also figured that if it could take t' thrust o' a D12, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, then it would definately be good t' go on an E9. Well, blow me down! Begad! The OCOD leap off t' pad in a screamin' fiery fury! At around 100 feet, me hearties, it's flight course went goofy. Avast, me proud beauty! Yes, me bucko, that be t' technical term, goofy. Well, blow me down! T' three people in attendance shifted noticably, me bucko, as 100 feet isn't a great deal o' space between a flyin' orange crate, and your head... Blimey! Ya scallywag! T' flight seemed t' stabilize, and t' motor kicked out t' bulkhead... Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Bein' slightly more nose-heavy than intended caused it t' come in faster than t' design called for, matey, and minor damage ensued. Ya scallywag! It will be easily repaired, and checked out on an E... Begad!

Second Flight:
T' second flight be on an E9-6, matey, with a new bulkhead installed. Begad! Blimey! I used a 6 foot 1/4" rod t' launch from this time, shiver me timbers, me hearties, in an attempt t' cause it t' fly straighter... Well, blow me down! I have no idea what t' acheived altitude was..but it was a cool flight!